About St. Thomas More Catholic Student Center · Pullman, Washington
St. Thomas More Catholic Student Center — known on campus as 'Catholic Cougs' — is the Catholic Newman Center serving Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. Located at 820 NE B Street, the parish is a vibrant faith community offering daily and Sunday Mass, the sacraments, faith formation, and fellowship aimed specifically at WSU students, faculty, and staff. The center became a Saint Paul's Outreach (SPO) chapter in June 2023, embracing a missional model of forming lifelong disciples through authentic relationships, intentional community, pastoral care, and solid teaching. As a parish in the Diocese of Spokane, it carries on a Catholic student-ministry presence in Pullman that traces back to 1964.
- Established
- 1964
- Patron
- St. Thomas More
- Rector
- Fr. Paul Heric
- Diocese
- Diocese of Spokane
Why belong here
St. Thomas More offers WSU students (and the wider Pullman community) a spiritual home where they can grow as disciples of Jesus Christ while in college. Daily and Sunday Mass — including a Sunday evening Mass designed for busy student schedules — along with regular Eucharistic Adoration and Reconciliation, give parishioners steady access to the sacraments. Through small-group men's and women's communities, OCIA, retreats, mission trips, and its partnership with Saint Paul's Outreach, the parish emphasizes authentic relationships, intentional community life, pastoral care, and solid teaching to help students take their Catholic faith with them into their careers, vocations, and lifelong callings.
Mass times at St. Thomas More Catholic Student Center
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 10:00 AM
- Sunday: 5:00 PM
- Tuesday–Friday: 4:30 PM
- or by appointment
Adoration times
- Tuesday–Friday: 4:00 PM
About St. Thomas More Catholic Student Center
St. Thomas More Catholic Student Center, branded as 'Catholic Cougs,' is the Catholic Newman Center serving Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. According to its mission statement, the parish exists 'to be a light on the hill that fosters an atmosphere of healing, purpose, and hope through Jesus Christ to WSU students.' Its ministry centers on an invitation to a personal encounter with Christ and deep conversion through the power of the Holy Spirit, helping students grow in the gifts and fruits of the Spirit and live out the holiness and mission received at baptism and confirmation. The core mission is to help college students live as mature disciples of Jesus Christ through authentic relationships, intentional community life, pastoral care, and solid teaching.
- Parish of the Diocese of Spokane
- Newman Center for Washington State University
- Brands itself as 'Catholic Cougs'
- Located at 820 NE B St, Pullman, WA 99163
- Phone 509-332-6311 · [email protected]
History & Heritage
Catholic student ministry at WSU traces back to 1964, when the Spokane Diocese acquired the historic Greystone Church in Pullman and renamed it the St. Thomas More Chapel. The Greystone building itself — a Romanesque Revival stone landmark designed by local architect William Swain — had been dedicated on October 18, 1914, for the Presbyterian community, which outgrew its original 1899 building. The Presbyterians moved to a new facility on Stadium Way in 1963, and the Catholic Church acquired the Greystone building for use as a student chapel from 1964 to 1980. After 1980 the historic structure passed through several owners; today the active St. Thomas More Catholic Student Center parish operates at 820 NE B Street on the WSU campus.
- 1964: St. Thomas More Chapel opens in the historic Greystone Church as the Catholic student center
- 1914 Greystone Church originally designed by architect William Swain
- Diocese of Spokane owns and operates the parish
- 2023: Parish enters new chapter as a Saint Paul's Outreach (SPO) mission chapter
Saint Paul's Outreach Partnership
Since June 2023, Saint Thomas More has partnered with Saint Paul's Outreach (SPO) to become a missional Catholic community committed to forming lifelong disciples. As a new SPO chapter, the community is actively being formed in discipleship and fully engaged in mission at WSU. SPO's model introduces college students and young adults to initial conversion and walks with them into Christian maturity, helping prepare them for a vocational launch in their careers, relationships, and lifelong calling. As an SPO chapter, the parish is devoted to a community that 'goes out and invites others in,' offering the deep relationship with God and with one another that the SPO charism seeks to foster.
- Missional Catholic community model
- Initial conversion through Christian maturity and vocational launch
- Relational evangelization as primary method
Becoming Catholic (OCIA)
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) is the parish's pathway for those exploring the Catholic faith and entering more deeply into life with Christ and His Church. OCIA is a welcoming process rooted in prayer, learning, and community, and is open to people from a variety of faith backgrounds. Classes at St. Thomas More meet Sundays after the 10:30 AM Mass, from 12:00 PM to 1:15 PM, with classes beginning September 28.
- Open to the curious, returning Catholics, baptized Catholics seeking First Communion/Confirmation, Christians entering full communion, and unbaptized seekers
- Sunday sessions 12:00–1:15 PM following the 10:30 AM Mass
Faith Formation & Small-Group Communities
Faith formation at St. Thomas More centers on intentional men's and women's communities that support relationships and vocations rooted in the values of the parish. The center emphasizes an immersive culture of discipleship and a shared way of life, cultivating strong environments for both men and women through small groups, retreats, and accompaniment. Spirituality is described as liturgical and sacramental, grounded in both personal prayer and communal celebration.
- Men's discipleship communities
- Women's discipleship communities
- Small-group Bible studies and prayer
- Liturgical and sacramental spirituality
Retreats & Mission Outreach
The parish offers retreat and mission-trip opportunities throughout the year, including a Spring Retreat and a Spring Break Mission Trip. These opportunities accompany the SPO missionary impulse of the community, sending Catholic Cougs out to live as missionary disciples while also inviting them into deeper retreat experiences of prayer and discernment.
- Spring Retreat
- Spring Break Mission Trip
- SPO missionary sending/forming lifestyle
Staff & Missionaries
The parish is led by a small team of clergy, staff, and Saint Paul's Outreach missionaries who walk with students day to day. Fr. Paul Heric serves as Director/Chaplain, Desiree Jetter as Executive Director of Campus Ministry, and Beth Foote as Executive Assistant / Director of Operations and Development. The current SPO missionaries are Max Karas, Liam Burke, Daniel DeFeo, Berenice Verdugo, and Gabrielle White.
- Fr. Paul Heric — Director/Chaplain
- Desiree Jetter — Executive Director of Campus Ministry
- Beth Foote — Executive Assistant / Director of Operations and Development
- SPO Missionaries: Max Karas, Liam Burke, Daniel DeFeo, Berenice Verdugo, Gabrielle White
Visit, Hours & Contact
St. Thomas More Catholic Student Center is open to the WSU community throughout the week. Building hours run Sunday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM, while the Administration Office is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and on Tuesdays from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Visitors and students can stop in for Mass, Adoration, Confession, fellowship, or to talk with the team about getting involved.
- Building Hours: Sun–Fri, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Admin Office Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Tue 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Address: 820 NE B St, Pullman, WA 99163
- Phone: 509-332-6311
- Email: [email protected]